The Fresno County

Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F307, F308, F309, F310, F311, F312, F313, F314, F315, F316, F317, F318, F319, F320, F321, F322, F323, F324, F325, F326, F327, F328, F329, F330, F331, F332, F333, F334, F335, F336, F337, F338, F339, F340, F341, F342, F343, F344, F345, F346, F347, F348, F349, F350, F351, F352, F353, F354, F355, F356, F357, F358, F359, F360, F361, F362, F363, F364, F365, F366, F367, F368, F369, F370, F371, F372, F373, F374, F375, F376, F377, F378, F379, F380, F381, F382, F383, F384, F385, F386, F387, F388, F389, F390, F391, F392, F393, F394, F395, F396, F397, F398, F399, F400, F405, F406, F407, F408, F409, F410, F411, F412, F413, F414, F415, F416, F417, F418, F419, F420, F421, F422, F423, F424, F425, F426, F427, F428, F429, F430, F431, F432, F433, F434, F435, F436, F437, F438, F439, F440, F441, F442, F443, F444, F445, F446, F447, F448, F449, F450, F451, F452, F453, F454, F455, F456, F457, F458, F459, F460, F461, F462, F463, F464, F465, F466, F467, F468, F469, F470, F471, F472, F473, F474, F475, F476, F477, F478, F479, F480, F481, F482, F483, F484, F485, F486, F487, F488, F489, F490, F491, F492, F493, F494, F495, F496, F497, F498, F499, F500, F501, F502, F503, F504, F505, F506, F507, F508, F509, F510, F511, F512, F513, F514, F515, F516, F517, F518, F519, F520, F521, F522, F523, F524, F525, F526, F527, F528, F529, F530, F531, F532, F533, F534, F535, F536, F537, F538, F539, F540, F541, F542, F543, F544, F545, F546, F547, F548, F549, F550, F551, F552, F553, F554, F555, F556, F557, F558, F559, F560, F561, F562, F563, F564, F565, F566, F567, F568, F569, F570, F571, F572, F573, F574, F575, F576, F577, F578, F579, F580, F581, F582, F583, F584, F585, F586, F587, F588, F589, F590, F591, F592, F593, F594, F595, F596, F597, F598, F599, F600, F601, F602, F603, F604, F605, F606, F607, F608, F609, F610, F611, F612, F613, F614, F615, F616, F617, F618, F619, F620, F621, F622, F623, F624, F625, F626, F627, F628, F629, F630, F631, F632, F633, F634, F635, F636, F637, F638, F639, F640, F641, F642, F643, F644, F645, F646, F647, F648, F649, F650, F651, F652, F653, F654, F655, F656, F657, F658, F659, F660, F661, F662, F663, F664, F665, F666, F667, F668, F669, F670, F671, F672, F673, F674, F675, F676, F677, F678, F679, F680, F681, F682, F683, F684, F685, F686, F687, F688, F689, F690, F691, F692, F693, F694, F695, F696, F697, F698, F699, F700

Conclusions 3

• CL1 Page 70
  To quote one Fresno County Supervisor, “The furlough plan is a better option than permanent layoffs. The supervisors should take a pay cut equivalent to the amount lost by furloughed employees.” To quote another Board Supervisor, “We are not in the business of keeping people in work.” The grand jury believes that before more county layoffs and work furloughs are considered, more effort should be made by the supervisors to find efficiencies within their own department and staffing. When making cuts in county departments that affect all Fresno County residents, it is the responsibility of the Board to leave intact and fund operations which serve all residents rather than a select few. The Board of Supervisors should first fully consider all options, especially the appropriateness of positions within their own department. Work completed by Board Assistants appears to benefit specific county districts rather than the county as a whole. This allows supervisors to provide immediate response to 2008-2009 Fresno County Grand Jury Page - 5 of 8 Report #3 – Budget Cuts & Board Assistants 42 3/12/2009 district concerns. This arrangement is useful for the supervisors because it keeps voters mindful of the work being done by their supervisor. The formation of Board Member Assistant positions as at-will employees to serve at the pleasure of the Board member was well intended. Since this was the desire of the Board, an amendment to the County Charter to include the position of Board Member Assistant as an exempt position from civil service status should have been placed before the voters. Changing the Fresno County Salary Resolution to classify these positions as Deputy CAOs rather than amend the Fresno County Charter complicates the current management structure in the CAO’s office and, one witness testified, “…was a creative solution which has yet to be legally tested.” The way the Board of Supervisors and we, as a community, deal with the budget crisis will highlight our priorities and demonstrate our fairness to each other as residents of Fresno County. The Board has made several budget cuts to critical core county services that could result in risking the health and safety of the public. Witness testimony provided to the grand jury summed up the current budget situation, “During these times, we need to focus on core business.”
• CL2 Page 89
  The prison population exceeds the bed space for which Pleasant Valley State Prison was originally designed. The location of this prison has increased health risks, adversely affecting both inmates and staff. While medical treatment for Valley Fever has improved, the location of the prison in this area, along with serious budget constraints, make this an ongoing problem. Individual prisons and staff have limited options since they are under the Federal Receivership. The Federal Receiver’s recommendations will be difficult to implement given the current California budget deficit.
• CL3 Page 145
  The investigation revealed that board members have received little or no training, engaged in micromanagement, violated the Brown Act, and engaged in nepotism. 2008-2009 Fresno County Grand Jury Report #7 – Golden Plains School District Page - 6 of 9 109 6/9/2009 Fiscal decisions made by the Board have jeopardized the financial well-being of the District and compromised the educational quality of the students. The ongoing question of a board member’s residency compromises the credibility of the Board with the community. Board actions have resulted in rapid turnover in leadership at both the District and the school levels. The lack of consistent leadership has compromised the District’s ability to accomplish goals. The grand jury sees no evidence that any of these practices have changed. It appears that something other than the students’ education is the Board’s top priority.